Computer and electronic engineers from around the world meet in Niagara Falls, N.Y., to discuss up-and-coming gadgets

There is no obvious answer, but chances are the topic will be
discussed frequently this week in Niagara Falls, where more than
100 scientists and engineers from around the world will meet to
speak about the latest advancements in electronics and other
devices.

The 25th annual International System-on-Chip Conference, or SoCC
2012, will take place Sept. 12-15 at the Conference & Events
Center Niagara Falls, 101 Old Falls Street, Niagara Falls, N.Y.
Academics and industry leaders from at least 20 countries
including, but not limited to, China, Brazil, Norway and India are
expected to attend. For more information, visit: http://www.ieee-socc.org.

"This is really a big event. Many of the world's top
system-on-chip researchers will be coming to Niagara Falls," said
Ramalingam Sridhar, a computer scientist at the University at
Buffalo who is directing the conference.

System-on-chip refers to a circuit that integrates all
components of a computer or electronic device into a single chip.
It has enabled many of today's ubiquitous technologies including
the Internet, smartphones and high-definition television, said
Sridhar, an associate professor in UB's Department of Computer
Science and Engineering.

As more information is shared using these devices, advancements
in system-on-chip and other technologies will be needed, he said.
Hence the conference, which was founded in 1987 in Rochester, N.Y.,
and is now recognized as a premier gathering for system-on-chip
development, according to the Institute of Electrical and
Electronics Engineers, a professional organization with more than
400,000 in 160 countries that sponsors the event.

Speakers at this year's conference include:

-- Bernard S. Meyerson, vice president for innovation and global
university relations for IBM Systems and Technology Group.

-- Richard Grisenthwaite, vice president of technology for ARM
Holdings, a British technology company.

-- Raj Yavatkar, director of system-on-chip architecture for the
Intel Architecture Group at Intel Corp.

-- Robert E. Geer, vice president for academic affairs and chief
academic officer, and professor of nanoscience at the University at
Albany, N.Y.